Dan VS Kindness
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: My first ever Dan VS Christmas story featuring Wander and Sylvia ! Enjoy !
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-Winter Blues

Mr. Mumbles curled upon Dan's chest, quietly purring away the night until she was awakened by Dan's typical winter schedule. He would do nothing but watch old reruns of monster movies, B-movie remakes and sophisticated history and art shows while draped in a Snuggie. His favorite companion was a carton of Chubby Hubby, and it was almost gone. That would mean he'd have to exert the effort to head to the nearest supermarket. Dan just didn't have the energy. Ah, how he loathed the holidays. Especially that wretched, terrible Christmas music. If he heard one more Christmas carol, he'd flip out.

A gaggle of carolers began singing 'Ding, Dong Merrily on High' outside of his apartment complex. Annoyed, he lifted his windowsill and started berating them.

'Why don't you take your ding dong merrily little tuchuses somewhere else ? You're lucky I don't start throwing things or calling the police for disturbing the peace.', he bellowed.

'Fine then, Krampus. We will take our Holiday spirit elsewhere.', the leader of the group said, as she pivoted away in a huff. Mr. Mumbles sat at Dan's feet and rubbed against his legs affectionately.

'Go away, Mr. Mumbles. I'm not in the mood. Just...leave me alone.', he said, morosely and drew the Snuggie around his head to the point he resembled something akin to a blue-hooded antisocial monk. What he didn't realize is that an outerspace gypsy was about to change his life, and for the better, too.


	2. Christmas on Planet Earth

Chapter 2-Christmas on Planet Earth  
'Isn't it beautiful Sylvia ?', Wander remarked as they continued walking into the atmosphere of the blue planet. They had been here before to visit the Crystal Gems and Uncle Grandpa happened to be in the same area. It was sort of like a big family reunion of sorts.  
'It sure is, buddy.', Slyvia retorted, admiring the multicolored lights getting closer and closer as they gently touched down on the ground. They needed a place to crash and there was a house not too far from where they had initially landed.  
Wander rang the doorbell, which played 'Joy to the World' gleefully.  
'Heh. Cute.', Sylvia quipped, smiling. Wander squealed, bringing his tiny orange fists to his chest and wiggiling them in an enraptured fashioned. A couple of human beings answered the door, not expecting a talking steed or an orange furball in a green 10-gallon hat.  
'You're not from around here, are ya ?', Chris questioned, obviously. Wander told his story, which left both Chris and Elise rapt in attention.  
'Sure, we'll let you stay the night. No harm in that. It's Christmas time after all.', Elise agreed with Chris' decision to let them use their spare bedroom. They had to admit that it was pretty spiffy having a couple of aliens stay at their house. Not many humans could say that for themselves. Chris had a feeling that Dan would be jealous of his new friends, but something told him Dan wasn't doing so well as was typical.


	3. Get Lost !

pter 3-Get Lost !  
It was like any other day during December; dark, dreary, cold and lonely. Dan hadn't been depressed enough to forget his duty to feed, water and clean Mr. Mumble's kitty litter pan. Luckily, he had a Littermate, so the litterbox basically cleaned itself. He heard his doorbell ring. Groaning, looking shaggy and dishevled, he answered, inspite of himself.  
'Yeah ? What do you want ?', he groused. It was Chris, Elise and some rather unusual looking friends. For a moment, he seemed interested in who they were, especially when they told their story. However, when he heard what this little alien Wander wanted to do with his time, he quickly became apathetic and embittered as usual.  
'No, I don't want to go sledding with you. I don't want to have anything to do with the Christmas season. Chris, you know I hate Christmas, and with the woman here, it just makes things worse. No offense, Elise.', Dan explained. Mr. Mumbles contentedly purred on Dan's bed, oblivious to all other surroundings, even if there was something interesting happening, the siesta was the most important activity of the day.  
'Come on, new buddy. Give it a try ! You only live once, right ?', Wander proposed.  
'No. GET LOST !', Dan said, slamming the door in their faces. He sat down on his couch, covered himself up in his Snuggie and curled up in the fetal position, crying bitter tears.  
'Look, we can talk about this. Just get it off your chest. We'll get through this together.', Chris said.  
'Leave me alone, Chris. I'll just make everything worse for you. You know I'm your third wheel, and thus have always been. Admit it !', Dan yelled, angrily. Elise, Dan, Wander and Sylvia weren't about to give up and it was Sylvia's brand of 'tough love' that was going to bring some light into his otherwise darkened life.


	4. Fresh Powder

Chapter 4-Fresh Powder  
Right after Dan was tidied up and put in a rather fetching snow suit, Chris, Elise, Wander and Sylvia went to the local resort. Elise and Chris were pretty good skiiers so slaloming down the hill was no sweat for them. As for Dan, he couldn't quite get the hang of the 'pizza' 'french fry' pattern the instructor had shown him. Over the PA, 'Marshmellow World' played gayly and Dan started to have the traces of a grin on his newly shaven face. Sylvia passed under him and caused him to land atop him.  
'Hold on tightly, little man !', she said. He did as he was told. He had no idea they were atop a massive mountain top and the slope to the bottom was steep. Screaming like a girl, the two of them slowly ascended the pinnacle of the mountain and came swooshing down roughly akin to the speed of sound. Sylvia was whooping so loudly that others could hear it from miles away. Dan was still screaming like a girl until they reached the finish of 'Excel Hill'. His hair was frayed on all ends as if he had stuck his finger in a light socket on purpose.  
'Ha ha ! Look at your hair ! You should see your face !', Sylvia chortled. Wander borrowed Chris' cell phone and snapped photos of him still holding on to Sylvia's neck for dear life. One moment he was moping, emotional, brooding and dark. The next, he had felt such a rush of adrenaline that he wanted to take on the Excel Hill alone this time.  
'I want to try it this time on my own. If I am going to overcome this fear, I'd better do it now.', he said. He swallowed hard. He knew he would rue his decision but there was no turning back. The powder was 'choice' as Chris would've said, back in his surfer heyday.  
'You can do it, buddy.', Chris exhorted him, patting him on the back. A jazzy version of 'Winter Wonderland' appropriately played in the background while Dan took a massive breath and exhaled. Down at the bottom of the hill was one of his classmates that always said he would never amount to anything. Well, he'd show Mr. Tim Lyancowsky who was in control of his fears !  
'Hey, Tim ! Eat my POWDER !', he yelled from the top of the hill. The lot of them gasped as he began to do unheard of tricks in skis from top to the bottom of the slope, catching the eye of everyone there. The people just stood, flabberghasted, in complete silence. When he landed at the bottom, perfectly, someone held up a handmade sign that read '10.0'. The crowd practically erupted in laughter. Tim Lyancowsky rolled his eyes, removed an arrant piece of amber fluffy hair from his perfecty coiffed head and stormed off in a huff.  
'You're still a loser, Dan !', he said, but no one heard him over the outburst of cheering.


	5. To The Victor

Before Dan knew what was going on, he was being lifted up underneath Chris, Elise, Wander and Sylvia.  
'Get this guy some cocoa ! He deserves it !', Wander cheered, proudly. Dan couldn't believe it. He never thought so many people would be coming to celebrate him overcome his fear of heights.  
'Do you know what tomorrow is ?', Wander questioned, sipping cocoa with his new friend.  
'Yes. It's Christmas. I never really was a fan of it before, but now, you've shown me life is worth living and fears can be overcome. I was just being obderate.', Dan confessed.  
'You were awesome, Dan. You've got a lot of potential. To think we don't have a gift to give you. Sorry about that.', Sylvia said, with some saddness in her tone.  
'You did. You encouraged me and I'm no longer afraid. I'm also aware I'm no longer alone...', Dan said.  
'Awwww...', Wander said, giving his newfound acquaintence a hug.  
'Merry Christmas, Dan. You lovable jerk.', Chris said, touseling his friend's already wind-whipped hair.  
'We'd love to stay and ski some more but it's getting late and the Universe needs us.', Wander said with a grin on his adorable face. He took out his unbreakable bubble solution and bubble wand and blew an indestructible space bubble. He and Sylvia began to ascend into heaven and beyond the stratosphere. As they shimmied away, they both whistled 'Joy to the World' and soon, Dan was singing along with the rest of them.


	6. Epilogue

Dan was humming 'Angels From the Realm of Glory' in his sleep. He had had so much fun that he had simply tuckered himself out. Chris and Elise brought him back home and tucked him underneath his bed. Oddly enough, his apartment was far more tidy than it had been and he even had a Christmas tree, merrily decorated from top to bottom. On the tree there was room for a new ornament. Carefully, with stealth, Chris placed the ornament from the ski-lodge on the tree without making any noise. He hugged Elise close and walked out of the apartment quietly as they both slunk out.  
'Won't he be surprised when he wakes up !', Chris said.  
'One more reason I am glad I married you; the magnitude of your golden heart.', Elise said, kissing him as they left for their car. Above them, snow began to fall and lightly cover their vehicle as they rode home. Strains of 'White Christmas' accompanied them over their radio, all of them realizing none of them would ever forget their cosmic experience, for it each improved them in a deep, profound way only they would understand in the days and weeks to come.

The End


End file.
